On lighter days the crews sits to leeward to trim the boat for the optimum angle - photo © Mitchell Pearson / SurfSailKite
Dear Recipient Name
Well it certainly is. Whilst some parts of our great land are being washed into the sea, others are basking in glorious Spring conditions for their Open Days, and the commencement of all things racing.
Now we are not that far off the first test with the red ball, and hopefully the new-look outfit can do us proud, and if not, then at least do it cleanly! Yet in the very same city as that will take place next month, namely Brisbane, we get set for the Etchells. They are in the middle of their pre-Worlds right now, as RQ hosts them for the Queensland State Championship. The main game starts next weekend, with a 95-boat armada making it the place to be.
Over on a very different track now, and there are not many of the world's big guns that have not had a lot of nips and tucks along the way, so as to keep them in the game. Comanche would be about the only one, but then she is the newest out of the box too... Scallywag, the Andy Dovell-penned supermaxi, has gone in for major works. To the tune of four gorillas no less ($4m)!
They have just had a training camp in the Philippines, and now the boat is on her way here. It seems that apart from the hull itself, and the stick, there has been a lot of gear changed, added or moved.
The keel is a full metre longer, with the same bulb on it, and now has new rams to drive it. The boom is also a metre longer now, and so the traveller has been moved aft to accommodate it. It has also been upgraded as well. There's a longer prodder been fitted, and a new wardrobe from North Sails. The wheels have gone for'ard and are now connected to new rudders. New winches have been placed in, and the deck layout all made fit for purpose, which all ties into the added horsepower and increased righting moment the collective efforts have made.
They learned a lot from the Volvo campaign, and it seems there will also be some of the talent from that on board this Xmas. The last thing she had was a new paint job, so not having seen it I cannot say look out for the Anthracite girl, but keep an eye for something large and very, very fast!
So we almost looked like we had dropped a couple of tabs last week in Electric Carrot Cake. Thankfully there was no acid involved, and importantly no one ended up like the late, great Syd Barrett, as Mssrs Michael Coxon and Micah Lane continued the repartee about the 18-footers. Cocko was keen to suggest that we should 'forget the Honey Badger, as the girls were all talking about Hummingbird Lane.' Micah was keen to suggest that his co-worker's form was below par, insisting that he 'looked like you were trying unwrap a piece of carrot cake as you hung out there on the wire.'
All in all it reminded me of all the great times sailing has afforded me, and the many wonderful characters I have come across along the way. Cheers to you all. No wonder we all say sailing is a sport for life. Sure is...
Right oh - here today there are some gems for you to review. We have information about the GC32s, SailGP, 18s, Youth Match Racing, kiteboarding, ESS, Youth Olympic Games, Middle Sea Race, Sail Sandy, Stars finally get some wind and start racing, J/24s, Route du Rhum, RS Aero Cup, Pantaenius Newport-Coffs Coast race, Melges 20s, Mirrors (yes Mirrors), and certainly there is much, much more.
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John Curnow
Editor, Sail-World AUS
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